Eat Nuts!
Nuts are tasty, loaded with good fat, protein, fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals that are heart healthy and potentially good for the waistline. Barring allergies, there aren't many reasons not to include nuts in your diet. Let's take a look at some interesting studies, tips and tidbits about nuts.
Nuts and the Heart
A study of 31000 Seventh Day Adventists that ate nuts more than 4 times per week were half as likely to die of a heart attack than those who ate nuts less than once a week. The Iowa Women's Health Study came to a similar conclusion: Women who ate nuts or seeds 4 times per week were 40% less likely to die from heart disease than similar women who didn't eat nuts. The Nurses' Health Study showed that those who ate at least 140g/week of nuts were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than those who ate less than 30g/month. Nuts and Weight
Most studies have shown that adding nuts to the diet does not cause people to gain much weight, if any at all. As an example, researchers gave participants 45-70g of almonds every day (320 calories worth) and gave them no further instructions about food intake. After 6 months, participants gained a very miniscule amount of weight (.2 lbs in women, 1.4 lbs in men). This study was funded by the almond industry.
There aren't many studies that show nut consumption to help people lose weight, but one study showed that a low calorie diet that included almonds led to greater weight loss than an equal calorie diet that did not include almonds.
The Seventh Day Adventist and Nurses Health Study showed that those who regularly ate nuts weighed less than those who did not.
The Best Nuts
Are some nuts better than others when it comes to health benefits? All nuts contain good fats, fiber and proteins, but different kinds of nuts have different nutrient profiles.
Almonds are richest in vitamin E (35% recommended daily intake) and calcium (8%) per 1 oz. (30g) serving. Brazil nuts are highest in selenium with just 1 supplying a days worth. Cashews are richest in copper and zinc Peanuts (technically a legume) contain the antioxidant resveratrol, and are highest in protein and arginine content Walnuts have the most alpha linolenic acids (plant-based omega-3's) How much?
Nuts are healthy but are a dense source of calories. 1oz/30g of nuts supply about 170-180 calories. Here is a chart that shows how many nuts are in 30g.
Number of Nuts in 30 grams (1oz)
Almonds: 20-24 Brazil nuts: 6-8 Pecans: 18-20 (halves) Cashews: 16-18 Pine Nuts: 150-157 Pistachios: 45-47 Walnuts: 8-11 Hazelnuts: 18-20
Stephen Trenen is trainer in a sport club and he runs his own informative website about Best Diet Plans, check it out to learn more tried-out Diet Plans.
I Want To Lose Fat Safely – An Independent View
Dieters don't want to feel like they're missing out all the time, or they just become demoralised. It's especially bad if we're the one who cooks for the family - with one meal for ourselves and another for everyone else! So how can we put the two together and cater for one and all?
First off we need to tackle the amount we eat. Whatever food we consume, if we take in less of it we'll lose weight. It's pleasing to see a plateful of food at the beginning of our meal - so eat from one that's smaller than everyone else's. Eat your food very slowly, chewing every morsel at least twenty times before swallowing. You won't always finish your meal ahead of the others then, but you will feel more sated.
It should be possible to eat the same dinner as everyone else for several days of the week. Just make sure you eat lots of vegetables, and only serve yourself a small amount of carbohydrate. Also, restrict any side portions of bread and butter! If the family like their puddings, prepare ones that you can have a taste of. Check any tinned fruit you have is in juice, not syrup.
On the other hand, you can make slimmer's meals for everyone. No-one need suspect they're eating a low-cal meals with some of the recipes you can use. Use lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs for a really scrummy pasta dish. Tinned tomatoes are a great base for the sauce, and no oil is needed if you stir in a little low fat creme fraiche before serving.
Pick your meat and dairy items carefully when you shop. There can be a big difference in the calorific value of different beef products for example. The rest of your family will profit from less saturated fat, even if they don't have weight issues. For a low-cal high-protein meal, serve turkey or chicken and stick to the skinless breast for yourself. Potatoes can be nice and filling for slimmers - just buy ones with a creamy texture. You won't need to add butter before serving then.
Whole wheat or oats are the best cereals to buy - and choose ones that don't have any additional sugar. Leave cereal bars alone too. Even these have far too many calories for the amount of food you're eating. There are also many 'hidden' cals in a lot of drinks. If you drink cola or other sodas, always buy the diet varieties.
Wine and beer can be very fattening, so try to limit it where possible. Tomato juice with Worcestershire sauce and ice has a good kick and makes a change. As apple juice is particularly strong in flavour, water it down half and half and serve it in a wine glass for more sophistication!
Clearly, we can't keep consuming the same things and expect to drop the weight. Although the odd bit of fine-tuning can work wonders to help things along.
Amazing Grass Organic Wheat Grass Powder, 60 Servings, 17-Ounce Container
Amazing Grass Organic Wheat Grass Powder, 30 Servings, 8.5-Ounce Container
